Page 32 - World Airnews Magazine February Edition 2021

HYDROGEN

A HYDROGEN PLANE

ydrogen is seen as a potential al-
Hternati ve for the aviati on industry,
a major user of fossil fuels.
Hydrogen plane start-up ZeroAvia said
recently said it had secured (US) $21.4
million in a funding round led by Bill Gates'
Breakthrough Energy Ventures to develop
zero-emission commercial aircraft.

Backers for the California-based start-up,
which has completed 10 test flights with a

six-seater propeller plane powered by hy-
drogen, included Amazon and energy giant
Royal Dutch Shell.
Hydrogen, which produces water when

it burns, is seen as a potential alternative

for the aviation industry, a major user of

fossil fuels. Hydrogen can be made from
fossil fuels or from water using electrolysis, able to haul up to 200 passengers 3,000 Amazon's backing comes from its (US)
although this an expensive process. miles by 2030. $2 billion Climate Pledge Fund. The online

"This is a capital-intensive industry, so Miftakhov said his start-up expected to retailer, which aims to run a carbon neutral

having investors to help you through the have planes for cargo flights in operation business by 2040, has ordered electric vans
process is very important," ZeroAvia chief before commercial passenger planes. from Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz and
executive Val Miftakhov said and stated a With the latest round, ZeroAvia raised start-up Rivian.

plane was "a power-hungry machine, espe- (US) $34.4 million, providing it with cash Shell's funds came from its Shell Ventures

cially on take-off." to scale up its technology for larger air- a unit which has been boosting investments

ZeroAvia, which has been conducting craft. It has also teamed up with British in solar and other renewables.

test flights in Britain, aims for commercial Airways to explore how the carrier Hong Kong-based venture capital firm

flights of up to 500 miles using 10- to 20- could shift to hydrogen-powered planes Horizons Ventures was also among the

seat aircraft by 2023 and commercial jets in future. investors. Q

DRONE
CADILLAC CONCEPT VTOL
PASSENGER DRONE

In GM’s vision, there is a vertiport on which includes a two-seater model more

the roof of your office building where for recreational use than business.

uring General Motors’ virtual a drone is waiting for you. You hop The presentation mentioned that the
DCES 2021 keynote, it showed off inside the drone, and it takes you to the VTOL drone uses a 90 kV motor to power

a new series of concept products under Vertiport closest to the meeting location. the four rotors and is equipped with air-
From there, an autonomous vehicle

the Cadillac brand. The concept is made meets you at the landing pad and takes to-air and air-to-ground communications.
As this is just a concept, changes will likely
up of a passenger VTOL drone and an au- you to the meeting. This is all meant to be made to the look and specs of the

tonomous car to get you and your friends happen seamlessly without any interac- VTOL, so take these with a grain of salt.
to and from locations and drones. tion need, other than booking the trip in. While these are just concepts and

The VTOL drone doesn’t currently The method for this wasn’t mentioned will likely not represent the finished

have a name but will be the first time in the video, but it will likely use an app product, they are still great to see.

Cadillac and GM explore the passenger similar to current ride-share companies. Seeing electric autonomous cars and

drone market. In the presentation the From the video, it looks like the drone drones from a company as large as
scenario was that you’ve been working only has one seat for now, but GM’s global GM is an important step to helping the
at the office and need to make your way design chief Michael Simcoe shared that world move into an electric and driver-

to a meeting quickly. there are more concepts in the works, less future. Q
World Airnews | February 2021
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